Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-07-12
EASTERN NEWS.
Story of the Wreck of the
Merrimac.
JOCKEYS SEVERELY HUR1
The &. A. r. Anxious to have the
Eneampment at st. Louis a
Harmonious Meeting.

Associated Press Dispatches to the Herald. ]
HALIFAX, July 1.-THE story of the
wreck of the steamer Merrimac, as
told by several passengers, who ar
rived here last night, il one Of the
most remarkable in the history of
marine disasters. The people of the
steamer escaped a horrible fate, for
after being driven ashore on clear
and cloudless night, with the moon
and stars shining overhead, according
to their own assertions, their baggage
was rifled and number of valuable
articles stolen, while the owners were
ON deck seeking to save their lives.
The passengers declare it is their con-
viction that these depfedations were
committed by members of the crew,
who, immediately after the ship
struck, secured considerable guam
tity of liquor, became drunk, and
created disgraceful disturbance.
THE STORY OF THE WRECK.
The facts connected with the disas-
ter are related as follows: Nearly all
the passengers were sound asleep
when suddenly, about IL so O'Clock
Saturday night, they We're awakened
by half dozen shrieks of whistles,
followed Immediately by several heavy
shocks and tearing grinding sounds
as though the steamer was forcing her
way over a rocky bottom. Captain
Crowell, the pilot and two officers were
on deck when the steamer struck, and
it is learned, could give no satisfactory
reason why they were so close to the
coast. The steamer was going at full
speed when she struck and forced her
way over the rocks for fully five
minutes. There were number of
heavy shocks and the vessel tossed
about so fearfully that those on the
deck had to hold on for their lives, or
they would have been dashed into the
water. By the time she came to a
stop all on board we're out of their
berths, women and children being
huddled together in the cabin, with
terror in their faces and sending forth
piercing screams for help.
INDEscRIBABLE CONFUSION
And excitement prevailed, but the
efforts of a few men succeeded in re-
storing partial calmness, and the
work of launching the boat was COM
menced. 1t was while this scene was
being enacted that the pillaging OF the
passengers luggage took place, the
state rooms being entered and valises
torn or ripped open and all goods OF
any value were removed. Jewelry,
clothing and other articles disap-
peared, and when the owners secured
their property they found it strewn
on the floor in a promiscuous
manner, with most of the valuable
portion gone. One passenger stated
that he lost about $500 worth in this
way, while a number of other passen-
gers tell similar story. AT the same
time a number of the crew became
suddenly drunk and got into a dispute
which ended only when they were
compelled to abandon the steamer in
boats which had been launched by the
aid of other hands. There was some
delay about getting the boats afloat
caused apparently by poor manage
ment, but eventually everybody was
safely removed from the steamer.
No ACCIDENTS.
As has already been stated the pas
sengers were all safely landed, though
there were a number of narrow es-
capes. The passengers who arrived
here this afternoon travelled by teams
all last night and all day to-day. The
remainder OF the passengers are re-
ported to have reached the main land
to-day. The steamer City of st. John
will be dispatched to take them to
Yarmouth, and they will be sent from
that place to Boston direct. The
wreck is believed to have been caused
by disordered compass, as state